The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-09-02

ana tail urooping, and her back all
drawn up with the cold / thought she
would surely die. or at least forever
after lose her courage.
We had two and half miles to walk
before reaching any house. and at first
thought of carrying her in my arms. bu.
then l made up my mind It would be
safer to keep her in motion. Sowe hnr-
ried ON as fast as we could till we reached
tavern, and there some warm milk and
water and comfortable fire soon made
her all right. A few days after. while
pursuing bird. she came to another
ditch, but without a moments hesita-
ton. in she plunged and SWAN across.
To my delight | found she had not lost
one particle of her courage
When left that part OF the country,
Fan and had TO part. But HUNTED up
q good, faitl.fll man. and gave him TO-
her; and / am sure she treated him well
il he only behaved himself properly. for
she was a very kind little dog.
The next dog that owned me was
Scotch collie or shepherds dog. How
came into her possession l can not re-
member. but she owned nee for nearly
two years. | was then living at a place
on the Hudson, a rather retired spot a
little way from the high road. One day.
when | was away from home. q peddler
walked into the kitchen. and seating
himself at table. demanded something
to eat. MY wife told him she had moth
ing for him. and requested him to leave.
He then grew insolent and said he
should remain as long as be pleased.
Ny wife then told him if he did not go
she would call the dog.
.ohf' he replied. smilingly, ''caIl
your dog. I'm not afraid of dogs"
NV wife went to the door. and called:
Moral Eora,'
The dog came bounding in
Here. Nora. turn this man outi''
Without = bark or q growl (Scotch
eollies never say much). Nora dew at
the peddler's throat. and tumbled him
him over In the dust, for he had seragn-
bled to the door.
do not know what would have be-
come of the rascal had not mv wife
called the dog of. As it was. the ped
dler picked up his pack and stick. and
started down the rsad rs fast rs his legs
would carry him. One day we were
attracted by furious and continuous
barking in field adjoining my place.
and, on going to the spot. we found
Nora mounting guard in front Of a
woodchuck's burIow. to which the old
woodchuck was trying TO retreat
The sagacious dog evidently knew
that the safest plan TO capture the game
was to cut of his communication with
his citadel, and call for help. so she
stood there for an hour, barking. till
we came. Nothing would induce her to
quit the post, which she felt was the
KEY to the situation. till we had secured
the rodent. and then her ecstasy was un-
bounded. She capered aud grinned
and laughed. and said. as plain as dog
could saw.
Il did it, Wasn't smart7"
Nora was great excursionist: IT was
her only fault. think she went to the
different farln-houses round about in
search of the companionship of sheep.
On my farm had only some ducks and
chickens and pig. And what are pigs
and poultry to the soul of dog accuE-
toned to command legion of nimble.
curly -horned sheep on a wild Scotch
mOorf
Disappearing of Nora's rowing habits
finally tied her up in loft over tool
house, and also locked her in. The
next morning when l went to feed her,
she was gone. She had gnawed the
rope in two. opened the window, and
jumped about fifteen feet to the ground.
The gnawing and jumping. though acts
of extreme audacity, were easily under
stood. But, to open the window. she
must have thoroughly studied the sub
iect, and put her nose to extreme physi-
cal pain in forcing it up. Nora disap-
peared one day. and never came back.
/ feel satisfied she must have been
forcibly detained. probably by some
farmer who had sheep aud knew her
value.
The next find on my list of canine
proprietors is little half-aud-hali
Scotch terrier and poodle. first met
her in a drug store in Orange, n. j., on
damp. drizzling, miserable night.
discovered her. wet aud muddy and
miserable as the night itself. covering
in one corner of the store. The drug
gist did not know who she was or where
she came from. l addressed few cas-
ual remarks TO her on the state of the
weather and her own personal appear
ance. She took possession of me al
once. When l left the store she fol.
lowed me home. invited her in and
gave her u good supper, which she
seemed to enjoy heartily.
After that her kindness and affection
knew no bounds. She WAS never hap.
py, save in my society; and when left
the house for any length of time, which
I generally had to do surreptitiously
she would rummage all over the estab
lishment, from garret to cellar, explor
ing even the most unlikely places, ap
parently thinking l might be concealed
under washtubs, on shelves, behinC
trunks. anywhere. everywhere.
When at last she reached the sad oon.
viction that / had really left the prem
ises, she would hunt up some article o
dress belonging tome. carry it to m!
sanctam. scramble on to table with /
in her mouth, and laying her head dowI
upon it, there wait till / come home
Poor little Fidget! How I loved that lit
tie dogl